"Plastic or paper? Neither, an Earthwise Reusable Bag please!!"
Environmental Facts & Factoids
The U.S. uses 100 Billion plastic bags annually, which is the energy equivalent of 12 Million barrels of oil. 1
Less than 1% of plastic bags are ever recycled. 2
Each high quality reusable bag will eliminate hundreds to thousands of plastic bags over its lifetime
Plastic Bags kill sea animals that mistake them for food or become entangled in them.
It costs California taxpayers $20.5 Million to collect and landfill plastic bag waste each year. This does not include external costs, e.g. pollution, risk and threat to marine life, economic loss due to litter, etc. 3
1. Thaddeus Herreck. 2003. “Plastic Bag Fight Pitts U.S. Makers V. U.S. Importers” Wallstreet Journal.
2. Worldwatch Institute. 2004 Study.
$140/ton estimated cost of per-ton collection based on 1999 CA Waste Survey & Industry estimates.
3. Figure cited from: Goldman, George and Ogishi, Aya. 4/04/01, “the Economic Impact of Waste Disposal and Diversion in California:,Pg 39, Report to CIWMB.
